Crystal holder



Jan. 21, 1958 K. LOWITZSCH CRYSTAL HOLDER Filed Oct. 25, 1952 w ir I lllllllllllllllllll .ll.

MENTOR may Lama?! AGE/V7 CRYSTAL HOLDER Kurt Lowitzsch, Yonkers, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to North American Philips Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October 25, 1952, Serial No. 316,897 9 Claims. (Cl. 25051) This invention relates to a crystal holder, and more particularly to an improved holder for a fiat single crystal plate for use in crystal analysis X-ray units.

. Heretofore, crystal holders of the type previously known had to be changed each and every time a crystal plate of different size and shape was substituted for the crystal plate then in use. The substitution of crystal holders thus necessitated the recalibration of the X-ray unit since the alignment or calibration of the X-ray unit was disturbed by the change in crystal holders.

- An improved crystal holder embodying the present invention eliminates the aforesaid difiiculties of previously known crystal holders by providing a universal crystal holder which may be used to accommodate crystal plates of various sizes and shapes as well as wafers with a burred edge which may be interchanged without disturbing the alignment or calibration of the X-ray unit.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the necessity of using several crystal holders of various sizes, by providing a crystal holder embodying the present invention which will accommodate a variety of types and shapes of crystals.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a crystal holder with a vertical banking surface which is so constructed as to permit the use of wafers having a burred edge thereon.

' Another object is the provision of a crystal holder with a horizontal banking surface which may be adjusted in a vertical direction in order to accommodate various sizes of crystal plates. In addition, the horizontal banking surface may be locked in a desired position thereof.

. The above and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the crystal holder em bodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, partly in SEC-r tion with the split-collar attachment removed.

' Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the crystal holder embodying the present invention comprises a supporting member referred to generally by the numeral 10. Said supporting member has a cylindrical lower part 12 with a central, hollowed-out portion 14 as clearly seen in Fig. 2. A cylindrical plunger 16 is mounted for vertical movement in hollowed-out portion 14 with a light push fit, so that upon movement of said plunger vertically the outer periphery thereof frictionally engages the inner periphery of the hollowed-out portion 14 of said cylindrical lower part 12 and prevents slippage in any position thereof.

Supporting member has an L-shaped upper part 13 which is preferably integral with said cylindrical lower part 12. Upper part 18 is provided with a vertical banking and reference surface 20 having a slit-like opening or recess 22 for the X-ray beam of the pre-set, associated X- ray unit.

atent O banking surface 19.

2,820,904 Patented Jan. 21, 1958 ice Plunger 16 is provided with an anvil 17 at one end thereof, the anvil being perpendicular to the plunger 16 and having a top forming a horizontal banking surface '19. A V- or U-shaped groove 21 is cut into the horizontal banking surface 19. It will be noted that a portion of the outer periphery of plunger 16 rides in an arcuate groove 23 formed in upper part'lS of supporting member 10.

The vertical banking and reference surface 2-0 is adapted to accommodate a variety of shapes and sizes of crystal plates and wafers. Crystal 24 as seen in Fig. I is round or disc-shaped, while crystal 26 of Fig. 2 is a rectangular wafer having a burred edge 28. All crystals or wafers to be analyzed must be held with one face thereof engag ing the vertical banking and reference surface 20 "and in most cases an edge portion thereof engaging the horizontal banking surface 19. As seen in Fig. 1, crystal 24 is centered on the horizontal banking surface 19 by means of V-shaped groove 21. Rectangular crystals, on the other hand, may have a side edge portion abutting horizontal It is preferred that thebanking surfaces be made of a material having a very high resistance to wear, for example, carboloy. i

It willbe observed that upper part 18 of supporting member 10 has a recessed surface 30 which is undercut in order to accommodate a wafer which may have a burred edge, as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to fix a crystal or wafer in its proper, predetermined position, a pressure shoe lever 32 is pivoted to upper part 18 at 33. Pivoted at 34 to lever 32 is pressure shoe 36 which is preferably made of a transparent composition, thus facilitating the observation of the crystallagraphic axis direction marked on a crystal plate. A spring 38 engages the lever 32 and urges the pressure shoe 36 against a crystal or wafer with suflicient pressure to hold said crystal or wafer in its desired position, while another spring 40 functions to maintain one edge of the pressure shoe 36 substantially parallel to the vertical banking surface and permits the shoe 36 to align itself upon engagement with said crystal or wafer. A set screw 42 journalled in upper part 18 operates to engage and lock plunger 16 through cushion pin 43 in any desired position thereof in order to insure the maintenance of the desiredsetting' of the horizontal banking surface. 1

The horizontal banking surface is preferably adjustable over a range of distances from inch to inch below the horizontal central line of the X-ray beam opening; 3 "It must be noted that a plane through the vertical banking and reference surface of'the present crystal holder coincides with the longitudinal axis of cylindrical lower part 12. j

Positioned on the lower part 12 is a movable split-collar attachment 44 which may be adjusted vertically andfixed at a desired height in order to maintain the crystal holder in its proper alignment position with respectto the X-ra'y beam. An adjustable screw 46 is mounted in thes'plitlcollar attachment 44 for causing the latter to be clamped at the desired height, thus preventing rotation of the split: collar attachment around lower part 12. Adjacent to pivot 33 is an adjustable screw 48 which, when turned, will cause supporting member 10 to move vertically in relation to split-collar attachment 44 and operates as a micro, vertical adjustment for the present crystal holder.

It will be apparent that the present universal crystal I holder described more particularly hereinbefore may be ated crystal analysis X-ray unit.

plungerand having a While I have .shown and described the ,preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the latter may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifical- 'ly illustrated or described and tha't in the illustrated emibodimentcertain changes i'n t he details o'fconstr-uctio'n and in the arrangement of par-ts 'rna'y 'be made fwi'thbut departing from the underlying idea o'rt'principle of th'e invention within the scope 'of' theapperided 'claim-s.

Whatis claimed is:

l. Acrystal holder for use in crystalanalysis :X-r'ay units comprising a hollow shaft supporting member being fprovide'dat one end with a vertical banking surface, a vertically movable plunger in :said hollow shaft supporting member, a part atthe end ofsaid'plunger closestto said vertical banking surface beingpositioned substantially'per- .pendicular to said plunger and having a portion thereof ,forming ahorizontal banking surface, said horizontal banking surface being adjustable to accommodate a variety of crystals, a lever pivoting on said supporting mem+ her, and a member secured to said lever and adapted to frictionally hold a portion of said crystal in engagement with said vertical banking surface. V

2. ,A crystal holder for use in crystal analysis X-ray units comprising a hollow shaft supporting member being provided at one end with a vertical banking surface, a plunger movable vertically and co-axially of said supportingrnember', an integral part at the end of said plunger 'closestto saidvertical banking surface being positioned substantially perpendicular to said plunger and having 'a portion thereof forming a horizontal banking surface, said horizontal banking surface being adjustable to accommodate a variety of crystals, a'lever pivoting on 'saidsupporting-member; and a pressure shoe secured tosaid lever'and adapted 'tofrictionally hold'a portion ofsai'd crys'talin engagement'with said'vertical banking surface'while an edge portion of said crystal abuts'said horizontal banking surface. i

3. A crystal holder for use in crystal analysis X-r'ay units "comprising a hollow shaftsupporting-member'b'eing provided at one end with a vertical 'bankingsurface,-said supporting member being recessed relative to said vertical bankin'g'surface-at 'aportion adjacent" to said verticalba nking's'urface, a vertically movable plunger in said hollow shaft supporting member, an integralpartatthe endof said plunger closest to said vertical banking surface being positioned substantially perpendicular -to said banking surface, said horizontal banking surface being adjustable to accommodate -'a variety of icrystals, a spring-loaded :leverl pivoting 'onisaid supporting member, and :a memberseeuredto said'lever and adapted to frictionally hold atpo rtion ofsaid; crystal in engagement with said vertical banking surface While another portion ofsaid crystal abuts said horizontal banking surface.

4. A crystalholder'for useincrystal analysis t-X-ray provided at one end witha vertical banking surface a vertically movable plunger in said hollow shaft supporting member, a part at the end of said plunger closest to said vertical banking surface being positioned substantially perpendicular to said plunger and having a portion thereof forming a horizontal banking surface, said horizontal banking surface being adjustable to accommodate a variety of crystals, alever pivoting on'said supporting member, a member secured to said lever-and adapted-to frictionally hold a portion of said crystalin engagement with said vertical banking surface while another portion ofi-said crystal abuts said horizontal banking surface, and locking meansinsaid-supporting member-forlocking said plunger.

6. A crystal holder for use in crystal analysis X-ray units comprising a hollow shaft supporting member being provided at one end with a vertical banking surface, said supporting member being recessed relative to saidverti- 'calba'nki'ng surface at a portion of said supporting member adjacent to said vertical banking surfacefa plunger portion thereof-forming a horizontal riety of crystals, a lever units comprising ahollow shaft supporting member being 7 V .providedat one end with a vertical ,banking surface, said supporting member being recessed relative to said vertical bankingsufface at a portion adjacent to said vertical bankingsurface, a vertically movable .plunger'in said hollow shaft supporting member, an integral part at the end of saidplunger closest to said vefticalbanking surfacebeing positioned substantially perpendicular to said plunger and having va portion thereof forming a horizontal banking surface, said horizontal-banking surface being adjustable 'andg'ro'oved toaccommodate a variety of crystals, a lever pivoting on "said supporting member, and a pressure shoe nie'mberrpivotallysecureii to said lever and adapted to fricpenalty hold a portion'ofsaid-crystal in engagement with saidfvertical'banking:sufface whileariotherportionof said crystal abuts s'a'idhorizontalbankinglsurface, I

' 5. A 'crystal liolder'foruse "in "crystal analysis X-ray units comprising a hollow shaft supporting memberbin'g mounted for limite'd'vertical movement in said hollow 'supporting member, an anvil at one end-of said-plungerh'av; ing a'topface forming a horizontal bankingsurfacqsaid horizontal banking surface being "adjustable to accommodatea variety of crystals, a side; of said an'vil abutting said 'recess,-a-lever pivoting-on said supporting member, and a member secured to said lever and adapted to'frietionally hold a portion-of said crystal inengagement'with said vertical banking surface 'whileanother portionof-said crystal abuts said horizontal banking surface. I

7. 'A crystal holder for use in crystal analysis X 'ray units-comprising a hollow shaftsupportingmernber being providedat one end with a vertical banking surface, a vertically movable plunger-in said hollow shaft supporting member, a part-at the endof said'plunger closes't'tos'aid Vertical banking surface being positioned substantially perpendicular to said plunger and having aportionthereof forming a horizontal banking surface, said horizontal banking surface being adjustable to accommodatea variety of crystals, a lever her, a split-collar member slidable on said supporting member and means for'frictionally clamping said splitcollar mer'nber on said supporting member. I V p 8. A crystal holder for use in crystal analysis X-ra'y units'comprising a hollow shaft supporting member being provided at one end with a vertical'banking surface, aver tically movable plunger in said hollow "shaft supporting member, apart '-at the end of said'plunger closest 'tosaid pendicular to said plunger and 'having 'a'portion'thereof forming a horizontal banking surface, said horizontal banking surface being-adjustable toac'c'ommodate 'ava-Z pivoting on saidsupporting'm'em her, a split-collar member slidable on said supporting member, means for frictionally clamping'said 'split-"colla'r member onsaid supporting member, and 'mea'nsffor obnnecting said su'ppor'ting' member to saidsplitcollar'memher to thereby-adjust 'said supporting membervertic'ally relative to said split-collar member.

9. A crystal holder for useincryst'al analysis x-ra'y units comprising a hollow shaft supporting 'nrember'being provided atone end with a firstfbankmg surface coinciding substantially with thelongit'udinal axis of said supporting 7 member, a plunger movable in said hollow shaft supporting member, a part at the end of said plunger closesttto said vertical banking surface being positioned substantially perpendicular to said plunger and having aportion thereof forming a second banking surface, said -second banking surface being adjustable to accommodate;a varietyofcrys'tals, and'means mounted on said supporting member having an element which is adapted to frictionally hold a portion of said crystal in engagement with s'aid first'banking surface.

(References on following page) pivoting on said supporting men.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Varner Oct. 3, 1939 Del Bene Sept. 3, 1940 5 Luley Dec. 16, 1947 Berman July 13, 1948 6 Friedman Oct. 26, 1948 Boyd Mar. 21, 1950 Thienemann Dec. 12, 1950 Polinske Oct. 30, 1951 Thorburn Jan. 1, 1952 Coleman Feb. 19, 1952 Page July 8, 1952 

